The Evaluation
by jerseybones
Summary: B&B head to a psychiatrist. What feelings will be revealed and where will it take our favorite couple? Definite fluff and flirting.
1. Prologue

**A/N: I wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed this story. Your reviews are the only reason I picked this story back up, as I seriously lost my way at the end. So to get myself back on track, I revamped each chapter to flow better and lead me towards an ending. Thank you again for your support and encouragement, it really means a lot.**

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**PROLOGUE** _(This scene is taken directly from the Season 3 teaser)_

Tuesday, a few minutes before 7pm

Booth and Brennan sat in the waiting room of a psychiatrist, who was contracted by the F.B.I. Both were anxiously awaiting the start of the mandated appointment and were trying to keep their minds off of the upcoming meeting. Brennan busied herself with a scientific journal found in the waiting lounge, while Booth fussed with his tie and let his eyes wander. Both were trying not to let the anticipation get the better of their nerves.

"Did you know that there's a credible theory that singing came before language?" questioned Brennan while perusing an article.

"Yeah, it's called humming," Booth replied sarcastically. "What do you think this is really all about?"

"Well, I'd say that language is about cooperative tasking, while singing is about the celebration of existence."

"No, not that this, I mean this. Why are they sending us to a shrink?"

"What did the letter say?"

Booth reached inside his jacket to pull an envelope from his pocket. Pulling the letter out and unfolding it, he had just begun to read when Brennan snatched it from his hands. Booth rolled his eyes at her controlling nature. _"And she talks about my alpha traits," _he thought.

Brennan scanned the letter and read out loud. "Please report for an ongoing psychological evaluation of your effectiveness as a team?" Brennan turned towards Booth, "Did we do something wrong?"

"Not that I know," assured Booth.

"Huh, maybe it's because you keep hitting people."

"Who'd I hit?"

"My father."

"Your father hit me first."

"Well you could've pulled out your gun and said 'Stop! In the name of the law.'"

"What am I? A Mounty? Maybe it's because they think I need a rest from working with you," Booth suggested as he took the letter back, folding it into its envelope and returning it safely inside his jacket.

"What, physically or intellectually?"

"Huh, ha ha! No, neither of those, I can totally keep up with you. All right? You're not what you'd call an _easy_ woman."

Looking at Booth strangely, Brennan replied, "Thank you. Obviously."

"Nah, I didn't mean... You see? Do you see? Do you see how much effort this is?"

"You shouldn't have taken out your frustrations with me not being _easy_ on my father."

"Look, I'm sorry that I hit your father. All right? But to be fair, he resisted arrest and I thought hitting him was better than shooting." Obviously irritated, Booth decided to switch to a more neutral topic for their bickering. "And if singing came before speech, then what did they do? Just go, 'La, la, la'?"

"No, because 'La' is speech."

"La's not a word, it's a sound. You can't use it in Scrabble."

"In France, 'la' means 'the'. You can use it in French Scrabble."

"This is the U.S.A., 'la' is not a word and this will never be France."

They fell silent at the end of their latest round of ongoing debates. Both now keenly felt the uncomfortable tension of waiting.

She stole quick glances at Booth while thinking of a way to smooth things over. After releasing a deep sigh, Brennan relented, "Thank you for not shooting my father."

Booth smirked slightly at Brennan's apology. "You're welcome, Bones." Nodding his head in agreement to their truce.

"I hope they don't split us up," confided Brennan in a very worried tone.

"Yeah, we work great together, right?"

"We're awesome. We're the two best murder investigators in…this room," gestured Brennan to their surroundings.

Booth started smiling broadly before giving in to deep chuckles. "Don't think I don't know what you did just then."

Brennan chewed gently on her bottom lip, trying to hide the smile over her joke.


	2. THE FIRST SESSION: Introductions

**CHAPTER 1: "THE FIRST SESSION: Introductions"**

**Tuesday, 7:00pm**

The comfortable silence that now enveloped the partners was interrupted as the adjoining door opened and the psychiatrist invited them to begin the evaluation. Booth guided Brennan inside by placing his hand on the small of her back.

As they entered the office, the doctor shook each of their hands in turn. "Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth," he greeted warmly. "Pleasure to meet you, I'm Dr. Jacobs," Gesturing to the two armchairs in front of the desk, he continued, "Please have a seat. As you are probably aware through a letter you received, I've been contracted by the F.B.I. to evaluate your effectiveness as a team."

As Booth led first Brennan to one of the chairs and then seated himself, he responded, "Yeah, Doc, we got it, but it wasn't exactly clear why we're on the couch."

Dr. Jacobs closed the door and walked back over to take his own seat. "Well Agent Booth, from my understanding, you and Dr. Brennan have the highest success record for arrests and prosecutions out of the D.C. Bureau. Apparently, you've managed to solve every single case you've been assigned, with the guilty parties convicted at each trial. The F.B.I. is obviously impressed and they are hoping to determine the methods behind that success in order to duplicate it. I'm here to try and determine those methods."

Booth and Brennan looked at each other in surprise, but then broke out in wide grins. Booth shifted in his chair to better straighten his jacket over his now puffed-out chest. Brennan smirked at Booth but internally she thought, _"I never did get a 'B'."_

Dr. Jacobs allowed them their moment of well-deserved preening, before he cleared his throat to regain their attention, "Shall we get started?"

"Sure doc, so how will this work? I mean we don't exactly have a manual on what makes us the best." Booth just could not keep the cockiness out of his voice.

Dr. Jacobs chuckled slightly, pointing to an open journal on his desk, "Well, Agent Booth, I'm here to write said manual." Clearing his throat again, he began to focus on Brennan with a small smile. "Dr. Brennan, you have yet to comment. I hope you feel comfortable and will fully participate during our sessions. This is meant to be painless; just a simple question and answer set to properly document the professional and personal aspects of your relationship."

"I'm fine, Dr. Jacobs, but I really do not understand how productive these sessions can be. How are you planning to qualify our methods? What Booth and I do is straightforward and formulaic." At Dr. Jacobs encouraging nod, Brennan continued. "We determine the facts of the case based upon evidence from human remains. Those facts lead Booth and me to conclusions regarding whom the murderer may be. Booth then arrests him or her, we interrogate the suspect, confronting them with our findings and, usually, getting their confession." Brennan paused slightly before explaining further, "That's an obvious abbreviation of the steps involved, but there still isn't any mystery to our process."

"Well if that was really all there was to it, then the F.B.I. would have less unsolved cases, now wouldn't they?" countered Dr. Jacobs.

"Not necessarily, after all what percentage of those unsolved cases involved decomposing corpses?" argued Brennan.

The Doctor looked puzzled. "I wouldn't know exactly."

"Well, I would venture to guess the number is zero since all such cases require a Forensic Anthropologist. So what you're asking is for us to help write a manual for F.B.I. teams that deal with white collar, organized crimes or counter-terrorism. Those are types of crimes that I wouldn't be able to assist with. If, in some far-fetched scenario, Booth and I had to work a case where there were no remains to examine, we may not fair any better."

"C'mon Bones, you really believe that?" Booth interrupted. "You and I could solve anything. We're awesome, remember?"

"Booth, you could solve those crimes, but as a team _our_ advantage is in working with bones." Brennan now returned her argument towards Dr. Jacobs, "You can learn everything about how a person lived, how they died and, if foul play was present, who the murderer is, by thoroughly studying the positioning, breaks, markings, density, color and smell of the bones."

Dr Jacobs continued, "Regardless of whether bones are involved, you still have a very successful partnership with Agent Booth, don't you agree? Or do you feel that it's only luck that you've solved cases?"

Brennan felt the first flicker of annoyance at this line of questioning, "I don't believe in luck and you're question is provoking."

"Bones," whispered Booth. His eyes pleaded with her to stay calm. Brennan sighed irritably and crossed her arms, which drew a small smile from Booth.

Dr. Jacobs' interest switched immediately when he observed that little exchange. He paused to write some notes in his journal. "Dr. Brennan, I apologize for you're feeling goaded, but I assure you, each question is meant to analyze your dynamic with Agent Booth. We will not have the time to review the reasons behind each question, so I hope you are willing to accept that they do have meaning and that meaning is not to aggravate. Okay?"

Brennan nodded and Dr. Jacobs continued, "Agent Booth, is Bones your nickname for Dr. Brennan?" At Booth's nod, Dr. Jacobs chuckled, "That's clever. Bones…Forensic Anthropologist." At the pair's blank stares, Dr. Jacobs cleared his throat. "Moving on, how long have the two of you been working together?"

They answered together, "Almost three years."

"And in that time, what do you feel is the element that best defines your partnership?" Seeing that the pair was going to again answer simultaneously, Dr. Jacobs held up his hand. "Ummm… Agent Booth, please your answer first."

"Trust," replied Booth with no hesitation. "Over the course of our cases Bones has been there to back me up in either my instincts or with apprehending suspects. I know I can count on her support in any situation." He looked over at his partner, knowing in his soul he could trust her with everything that mattered, right down to the life of his son. He already confided about his past, even those memories that still haunted his nightmares, and he no longer had any fears she would look at him differently. She accepted him for who he is now and it seemed that nothing he told her would ever shake her trust in him.

"Dr. Brennan, do you agree with Agent Booth's description?"

It was now Brennan's turn to regard Booth as she debated her response. "I agree that Booth and I trust and support each other, but for me, I think respect is a better descriptor." For her, it was his first grudgingly given, then properly earned, respect for her science that allowed her to start respecting his own skills in reading people. If he hadn't learned to appreciate and accept her contributions and conclusions to each case, she would never have been able to open up to him in her personal life. In her mind, without respect, she would never have learned how to be a true partner.


	3. THE FIRST SESSION: The Line

**CHAPTER 2: "THE FIRST SESSION: The Line"**

**Tuesday, 7:25pm**

Dr. Jacobs continued to write notes as he observed the pairs' silent communication. It is what prompted his next line of questioning. "Are you now or have you ever been involved romantically with one another?"

Their mutual discomfort was tangible and this time Booth and Brennan did not meet the other's eyes. Booth suddenly seemed fascinated by the pattern on his tie, so Brennan decided to end the silence herself.

"No! Booth and I have never been involved romantically."

"Why not?"

"Because it's not something we want." At Brennan's statement, Booth whipped his head towards her. She had believed she was rather adept at getting inside his head as there had been very few times in the past months when she had not able to determine in what direction his thoughts were going. But something unrecognizable had flashed over his face and it unsettled her.

Dr. Jacobs was writing in his journal and missed the exchange, instead continuing the interview. "Have you ever entertained the possibility? I mean it would seem reasonable since you are both healthy, attractive adults who work in constant, close proximity."

Booth shifted nervously, prompting Brennan to continue answering. "I don't think it was ever a possibility for us to become romantically involved or to even give in to biological urges."

"Are you attracted to each other, Dr. Brennan? Agent Booth?"

"One time after a case regarding child beauty pageants, Booth and I were discussing looks and we admitted we found the other's physical form to be aesthetically pleasing. But there are other factors to consider when entering a romantic or sexual relationship."

"I'm sorry Dr. Brennan, but I'm still not sure what factors could stop two people who are admittedly attracted to each other and obviously have a good rapport from exploring their relationship on another level?" Dr. Jacobs became more forceful with his tone.

Frustrated with these questions, Brennan snapped at Booth, "Are you going to help?" Not receiving a response, she huffed, "Booth explained a long time ago, just as we were getting comfortable with our friendship, that there are certain people you can not have sex with because it's too complicated and dangerous. Our cases place us in high-risk situations and by associating romantically we could become potential targets for each other's enemies. There's a metaphoric line that's needed for our protection. Since Booth is more knowledgeable on the workings of partnerships, I have no problems bowing to his experience on this one."

"So you have never even wondered what it might be like?"

"Despite giving you very succinct responses, you insist on pursuing this. Why?"

"_Bones!"_ hissed Booth.

"Oh, _now_ you're talking?" seethed Brennan. Booth at least had the decency to seem embarrassed.

Finally realizing the need to explain himself, Dr. Jacobs almost pleaded with her to understand, "Dr. Brennan, I assure you I'm not asking for my own amusement. I have to provide a detailed report after every session to show my progress and I'm simply trying to gather as many facts as I can. Studies have shown that sexual tension in mixed gender partnerships have contributed to more failures than successes. It's rare to see a success first-hand."

"That's because we do not have sexual tension," Brennan stated again, but in a calmer voice. She understood and appreciated the psychiatrist's desire to be thorough and therefore could not maintain her anger. "We are partners, nothing more. We never wanted each other physically. He's a part of my family." Brennan realized that last part may be misconstrued and quickly corrected, "I mean we're not blood-related, it's strictly symbolic."

Booth snuck a peek over at Bones, feeling rejected and ridiculous. He had no reason to feel that way. He was the one who drew that damned line those many months ago. He stated what their relationship could and could not be and he was the one who told Bones that they were family. But when Bones repeated his words, he could not help but feel crushed. He did not want to be a surrogate brother to Bones. If he could choose which family member he would be, he would choose… something else.

"Agent Booth, do you agree with Dr. Brennan's assessment? Are you, symbolically speaking, siblings?"

Booth held back a cringe. "Bones and I have never crossed any lines," Booth confirmed softly. "She's family."

Brennan smiled at Booth. Her connection with Booth felt stronger than with any other person, at any time in her life.

"Okay, one more question and then I think we can safely put this line to bed," Dr. Jacobs laughed softly at his odd humor. "Sorry, poor word choice. Do you feel there could come a situation that would allow you to cross the line you both established?"

Brennan sat thoughtfully for just a second before she responded, "Apart from ending our partnership, I can't hypothesize a situation. Since we both see the other as family, we are locked in a clear understanding of the boundaries of our relationship. Logically, even if Booth and I had met under different circumstances, where no lines existed, there wouldn't have been anything to connect us besides sex."

Poor Booth began choking on air while a suspicious red crept up his neck. He stared at her in shock, while trying to regain his breath.

"I'm just answering the question, Booth. I find you attractive; you said the same about me. It is natural to conclude we could have had a sexual encounter if we met differently. I just don't believe we would have been successful in a romantic relationship. Our friendship only developed because of our work and the amount of time we were forced to spend together. I would never have had the inclination to make the time to get to know you outside of work because that would have taken me _from_ work. Now of course we're friends, and technically have the needed foundation, but we wouldn't consider it because we work together."

Dr. Jacobs raised an eyebrow at Brennan before he proceeded, "Agent Booth, your comments?"

Booth raised his head and looked the Doctor straight in the eyes. "It's like Bones said in her wordy way… there's just no interest."

Booth's voice was softer than she was used to hearing and again she stared at him oddly, knowing something was off. She continued watching him, willing him to meet her eyes but he stubbornly refused to break contact with Dr. Jacobs.

"Okay. I think we can safely move on to some characterizations," said Dr. Jacobs while he jotted down a few more notes. "Agent Booth, please list five words that you feel best sum up Dr. Brennan as a partner."

Booth did not hesitate much and was able to spout off his list fairly quickly. "Passionate. Dedicated. Loyal. Intelligent. Misunderstood."

"Very good, thank you. Dr. Brennan, please, your list."

Brennan thought about her list for a little while. Still staring at Booth, she finally nodded, her choices ready. "Protector. Intuitive. Charming. Intense. Honorable."

"Interesting. Now Agent Booth, why was 'misunderstood' on your list?"

"Bones gets emotionally involved in her cases. She's able to learn a lot through just the bones and she can see how the victims were when they were alive. Now, while this makes her the best, it's also the reason she has to distance herself… detach emotionally. People, who don't know her, have naturally misunderstood and thought she's cold. But it's not true, she's just feels too much."

Brennan was unable to take her eyes off Booth while he described her, a thousand thoughts racing through her mind.

"Dr. Brennan, why did you choose 'protector' as the first word on your list?"

"Because Booth feels responsible for everyone around him. He has this need to make sure everyone in his line of sight is safe. He's more so with those directly in his life, but he still does it with everyone." This time when Brennan looked over, his eyes were fixed on her, and he was smiling gently.

"Dr. Brennan, may I assume then that Agent Booth displays these protective impulses with you?"

Brennan snorted delicately, "_All_ the time."

"Could you please elaborate?"

Brennan ticked off points on her hand as she replied. "One: He always puts his hand on my back and pushes me in the direction he wants me to go."

Booth interrupted, "I do not push. I'm guiding you and looking out for you. I'm a gentleman."

"Two: He insists he has to feed me," continued Brennan, ignoring him.

"Cause you'd never eat otherwise."

"Three: He always chases me out of my office, telling me I have to go home."

"And why am I forced to do that? So you'd actually go home and, you know, _sleep?"_

"Four: He always insists he has to drive."

"My car, Bones."

"Five: You won't let me have a gun."

"Didn't stop you though, now did it?"

Brennan rolled her eyes as she continued her list. "Six: You seem to enjoy interrogating any men who approach me."

"That's not needed… nooo. You're instincts are dead on in that field. You only date boy scouts. Right!"

"Seven…"

"Okay, Dr. Brennan, I think I get the point. Thank you, that's enough." Dr. Jacobs smiled slightly; he was amused at how easily they could forget that he was in the room as they became absorbed in their bickering.

Booth and Brennan were both turned away from each other with their arms crossed. They avoided each other while waiting for the Doctor to continue with his questions.

Dr. Jacobs looked up at the clock on the wall. "Actually, I see that our time is up for today. I feel we've made great progress with determining your working relationship. I believe our follow-up appointment is this Thursday, same time."

Booth and Brennan both rose to leave. "See you Thursday, Doc." Booth then turned, placing his hand on the small of Bones' back as he held the door open for her and guided her out.


	4. NO FAIR

**CHAPTER 3: "NO FAIR"**

**Tuesday, 8:20pm**

Booth was driving Brennan back to her apartment when he decided to detour. "So you want to get some dinner?"

"Trying to feed me again, Booth?"

"Would you eat otherwise?" Booth smirked as Brennan just turned to stare out the window. "Aw, c'mon, Bones, you know you want some Thai food _and_ you want my company. I'm charming, remember?"

"No, that is unfair. I was forced to go to these sessions as a favor to you so are not allowed to use my answers against me. And I didn't mean that _I_ find you charming. It is a good descriptor because other people are drawn to you and they find you easy to talk to. It's probably another reason why you're so successful with interrogations. So you can just put your ego away."

"Whatever you say, Bones."

"Well, if you want to play that game, you said I was passionate."

"Yeah, but… I didn't mean it that way Bones. I mean you are… you know… about your work. That's what I meant."

Brennan was still chuckling when five minutes later, they pulled into the Wong Foos' parking lot. "I didn't agree to dinner, Booth."

"You didn't have to. If you really didn't want to eat with me you would've argued when I first mentioned it. Now come on, I'm hungry." Booth hopped out of the SUV and started towards the restaurant.

Brennan grumbled under her breath, but followed Booth, who waited with the door already open for her. They walked up to the counter and took their usual seats. Sid took one look at them, raised his eyebrows and headed back to the kitchen to place their order.

Booth kept shooting glances between Brennan and the bar. He was trying to decide whether he should ask Bones the question that had been in his head since they left Dr. Jacobs' office. When Sid came back, Booth looked up with a determined expression. "Hey Sid, can we have our food to go?" Booth turned to a confused Brennan, and flashed her a smile. He made up his mind, but he wanted privacy. "I just don't feel like being around a lot of people. How 'bout we take this back to your apartment?"

"Are you ok?" Brennan looked at him suspiciously, but Booth just continued smiling.

Soon Sid returned with their takeout and they headed out. They drove to her apartment in silence, parked and made their way up. While Booth laid out the boxes of food, Brennan grabbed a couple of beers.

"Booth, you've been silent for the last fifteen minutes, talk to me. Something's wrong and I'm not good enough at this to be able to guess."

Booth's chopsticks were half way to his mouth, when Brennan surprised him with her question. He set his food back down and turned to face her. "Bones, I'm fine. The psych test was kind of exhausting that's all."

"Oh, ok." Brennan picked up a container and started eating.

Booth tried to do the same but now just picked at his food, his appetite forgotten. "Bones? Can I ask you a question about our evaluation?" Booth had been looking at Brennan intently, but when she raised her head, he quickly averted his gaze. "I meant what I said about family and us. But… well… I was wondering if… do you really think of me as a brother?"

Brennan's eyes flared at his hesitating manner, not used to seeing him nervous. "Well, we certainly bicker like siblings stereotypically do," Brennan smiled at Booth, who still would not make eye contact. "And you look out for me the way Russ always did, so in that way the comparison is accurate. Although, your "guy" hugs are different from Russ's. But…" At her pause, Booth finally looked up. "…despite the similarities, I do not think of you the same way I think of Russ. I don't think of you as a brother; I do think of you as a good friend and partner."

Booth just continued to stare as a dizzying rush of relief swept through him. He could not even form words in his own mind.

Brennan felt uncomfortable with his silence and questioned, "Was that the wrong answer? Did you want me to say yes? Do you think of me as your sister?"

He chuckled, "Ummm, no Bones, definitely not a sister." He thought of another question, but did not want to push his luck any further tonight. Flashing his charm smile at her, he leaned in close to her. "Bones?"

"What are you up to?" She eyed him suspiciously, but when she felt his warm breath against her face, her focus faltered.

"The Mee Krob is mine," he crowed as he snatched the half-eaten container from her hand.

Brennan's eyes flew open. She hadn't even realized they had started to close as he leaned in. "Hey! No fair!"

"All's fair with Thai food and a hungry man, Bones."

"Well, I'm hungry too, so this is _not_ fair. Next time order two." Brennan pouted and reached for another container before flopping back against her couch. She picked at her food and turned further away from Booth.

"Aw, c'mon, Bones, don't pout. All right, we'll share the rest. Here." Booth offered her back the container, feeling guilty he upset her that much. He never saw her act that way before.

Brennan took the Mee Krob back and took two more mouthfuls before she said anything. "Wow, Booth, I can't believe you fell for that. Angela always tells me I don't use my wiles enough."

Booth's mouth fell open at her confession. "What? You were faking? Give me that." He snatched the favorite dish back. "No fair, you finished it. All right, you know what? You're getting your own container from now on."

"You seem surprised that a woman could fake it?" Brennan chuckled, a deep throaty laugh that raised the hairs on the back of Booth's neck and drained all thoughts, save one, from his head.

They finished up dinner in silence and relaxed for several minutes. Finally, Booth looked at his watch. It was a little after 10pm and he needed to meet with Cullen at eight the next morning. Reluctantly, he stood up. Brennan stood up as well and gathered the now empty containers. Booth helped her clean up and then they both walked to the door.

"Thanks for dinner, Booth."

"No problem, Bones. I'll see you tomorrow. Sweet dreams."

"Night." Brennan gently closed the door and locked it, knowing that Booth would wait outside until he heard her do it. She looked through the peephole and watched him smile at the sound, before walking down the hall.

She went back to sit on the couch feeling confused. She was neither blind nor stupid and knew there was more to Booth's question. The only probable conclusion was that he wanted something more intimate. Now she had to determine what she wanted. Sleep was elusive that night.


	5. POTENTIAL

**CHAPTER 4: "POTENTIAL"**

**Wednesday, 6:20pm**

It had been a very long night. The day was stretched equally long, and work did not hold the ability to distract her. After almost a full day, Brennan was no closer to any conclusions regarding her relationship with Booth. If she were truly honest, she was no closer to any coherent thoughts at all where he was concerned.

Her brain felt murky, trapped between alternating thoughts of what it would be like to kiss her partner and the haunting image of him battered, lying in a hospital bed. She understood the line Booth drew did not protect either of them from criminals. Anyone who had the notion to hurt them could easily learn they were the other's Achilles' heel.

The concept of erasing the line was not what caused her mind to shut down; instead it was the fear of feeling. The hospital stay was bad enough, but for almost 32 hours, her world had been filled with a stabbing pain that felt as if her insides had been cut to shreds. For almost two days her sanity had been devoured by fear while Booth had been held hostage. It was the remembrance of those events that held her thoughts captive. If the possibility of losing him from her life, when they were only friends, albeit best friends, ached to that extent, then she feared what would remain of her, if her heart became more entangled with his than it already was.

That should have been it then. Her answer was clear. But why could she not stop thinking about what it might be like to kiss him, to be with him, to trust him, not only with everything she was, but also with everything she ever wanted to be. She turned her attention back to the corpse at hand, determined to accomplish something productive.

Wednesday, 7:20pm

"Bones! Hey, Bones! Where are you?"

"Booth, will you stop making a racket long enough so you can hear me answer you? Why are you always shouting? It's not like there are a lot of places I would be."

"Whatever, Bones, let's go. C'mon. Chop, chop." Booth clapped his hands impatiently. When Brennan just rolled her eyes and walked away from him, Booth resumed yelling, stressing each word. "Bones… come… on! We have to go _now_!"

Brennan stopped in her tracks and rounded on her loud partner. "Booth, I am not a pet for you to order around. You're interrupting my work without even the common courtesy of a phone call to warn me first. Normally, I'd be willing to let you get away with that, but not if you're going to act like this." She turned back around and continued to her office. She felt him follow her and decided to make a further point by sitting at her desk and finishing up some paperwork.

Booth sighed impatiently. He knew he had been a high-handed jerk and owed her an apology. He just hadn't felt like himself since he left her after dinner. Their vague conversation last night felt juvenile and cowardly in the harsh light of morning. He should know, since he was awake to see how the first hint of light erased the stars.

"All right, Bones, look, I'm sorry, but we have a case and Cullen wants us there pronto to hold off the press. There is a body-less head lying in the middle of the road and we need to go." Bones refused to look at him. "Aw, c'mon. We don't have time for this. I said I'm sorry. If you're going to give me the silent treatment, can you at least do it in the car?"

Brennan stood up and collected her kit, leading the way to the parking structure and Booth's SUV. Booth grumbled under his breath, but instinctually let his hand fall to her back.

Wednesday, 7:45pm

They arrived at the scene and both hopped out of the car, eager to get started. The ride over had been silent. Brennan had seen the fatigue in Booth's eyes and her anger had dissolved with his first apology. She just wished her newfound lust would fade as easily. By the lack of tension in her body, Booth detected Bones was no longer annoyed, but he still could not think of anything to say to make the air feel normal.

Brennan grabbed her kit from the back and walked with Booth towards the crime scene. He lifted the yellow tape for them to continue forward. Upon reaching the body, she took out her tape recorder, knelt and began examining the remains. Booth had already gone to question the police officers and any witnesses.

After twenty minutes, her initial examination complete, she collected the surrounding particulates for evidence and bagged her finds. Booth still had not returned and she did not see him around so she asked a police officer, who stood nearby, to assist with organizing the transport that would take everything back to the Jeffersonian. During this process, Booth materialized and walked right up to Brennan.

"You're supposed to wait for me so I can review the scene with you."

"Yeah, well you're supposed to know how long it takes me before I'm finished with the preliminaries. I took plenty of pictures and I covered every angle. You can review those." Brennan snapped off the Latex gloves and headed back in the direction of Booth's SUV.

"Bones wait a sec, will ya?" He caught up with her and turned her around. "We are _not_ working at our full symbiotic potential." He tilted his head waiting for her reaction.

Brennan just looked at him with narrowed eyes. "What are you talking about?" When Booth hesitated with a reply, she turned again and continued on to the car.

Booth sighed and followed her. Once they were both in the car, Booth turned to her. "Bones, we need to talk."

"Tomorrow's Thursday Booth. We're going to be talking for an hour with Dr. Jacobs. Can't this wait?" Brennan pleaded.

"No. It can't wait if it's affecting our jobs."

"You can't blame tonight on me," Brennan pointed at Booth. "You walked off."

"I was interviewing witnesses and gathering information from the uniforms at the scene. It's not like I was avoiding you."

"No, why would you do that, when it would deprive you of the pleasure of ordering me around?"

"Bones, I already apologized for that. Are you going to hold a grudge now?"

"Rationally, I can't fully excuse your behavior if I can't understand it. I can see you haven't slept well, but I am not used to you treating me like a minion instead of as your partner."

Booth turned away from her and started up the car. "I just wanted to get here and take care of things before the press got out of control and pissed Cullen off."

There was hesitation in his voice. All of a sudden it clicked and Brennan replied, angrier than before. "You know, even I can tell you're lying and that's also something I'm not used to with you. And I don't like it."

"Yeah, well I don't like it when I sincerely apologize for something and it's just ignored. I said I was sorry and that should've been the end of it."

"Fine."

"Fine."

"I'd like to go back to the lab now and get to work."

Her voice was cool and detached and Booth sighed miserably knowing this was not over. Again, their car ride took place in uncomfortable silence. When they reached the lab, Brennan got out, collected her things and walked inside without a backward glance.

Booth drove back to the Hoover Building and went through his notes on the case. He needed time to figure out what he wanted from his relationship with Bones. His thoughts had been in a whirlwind all day and it clearly affected him when he was around her.


	6. SURPRISE ATTACK

**CHAPTER 5: "SURPRISE ATTACK"**

**Thursday, 11:50am**

Booth had been happily working all morning and his desk was almost cleared of the boring paperwork. He felt lighter than he had in months even though he had not slept in days. It had been another long night for Booth, but at least he could say it was worth it.

He had debated for hours on whether it was a good idea to give into his infatuation for Bones. He wanted to be with her, to take care of her, to make her laugh. The one thing that had held him back from her the whole time was his need to protect her. But the reality was he could not protect her. He could try and he knew he always thought of everything he could to keep her safe, but it would never be enough.

It had not been enough to stop her from being kidnapped by Kenton. Epps had still managed to break into her apartment and threaten to kill her with a crowbar. The 'Gravedigger' was an obvious failure and the clearest example of how he could lose her at any moment. After all of the violence and near-deaths they experienced, he had finally realized the truth. He thought that if he could keep a part of his heart to himself, then the pain of losing her might not destroy him. The truth was, it was way too late for that. And in the end, out of all the arguments, there was only one fact that mattered: He was in love with her.

So now, with his head cleared and his heart claimed, Booth set out to determine what Bones' feelings were for him. _"There's no time like the present."_ With that thought, Booth grabbed his jacket and left his office to go drag his partner out to lunch.

Thursday, 12:15pm

"Hey, Bones, where you at?"

Brennan straightened from her position over the examination table where last night's newest case was laid out. She watched Booth swipe his ID card and step up to the platform before she answered, "You know, if you would take two seconds to look around, then you'd see where I was."

"Yeah Bones, thanks for the tip." Booth walked right up to her. He deliberately brushed his shoulder against hers and leaned in closer as he asked, "So what do you got for me?"

Brennan had steeled herself in anticipation of Booth's touch and so was able to mask the shiver caused by his hot breath. She wished he would pay attention to her personal space; his proximity was always so damned distracting. Focusing harder on the problem immediately in front of her and ignoring the one next to her, she finally answered. She updated him on all the information gathered to date. Booth asked questions as needed and after about a half hour, an outline materialized on the best way to proceed with their case.

"All right, Bones, that's enough for now, let's get some lunch." He gently took her elbow and tugged her away from the table.

Brennan struggled and tried to get her arm back. "Booth, I'm not done here and I need to type up my findings. Angela will…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," interrupted Booth, not releasing his hold. "Work to do. Got it. You'll think better after we get lunch."

At that point, Angela approached the two with a small smile, clearly amused by their antics. "Sweetie, the face will take at least another hour. I'm in the middle of it, but I need to go over the markers with Zach, and then I'll be able to finish. You definitely have time for a bite."

"But Ange, I have other work to do." She tried again to break out of Booth's grasp. "Booth, let go!"

Suddenly, Booth changed tactics. He simultaneously stepped forward, while tugging her towards him. Caught off guard, she stumbled flush against him, bracing a hand on his chest. Not losing the momentum of his attack, he lowered his voice, and went in for the kill. "Temperance, I want you… to come with me. Please?"

Her face flushed as the husky timbre caressed her skin. This was a side of Booth she was not used to and she felt completely unprepared to defend herself against the onslaught of inappropriate thoughts rushing around her head. She took a shaky breath and stepped back, providing the space needed to answer calmly. "Fine, Booth, we'll get lunch. You can let me go now."

Booth flashed a victory smile as he released her. He continued to smile to hide his shaken confidence. He had thought he glimpsed desire on her face, but now her voice was as cool and composed as ever. He wondered if he had imagined the reaction his heart had wanted to see.

Angela's eyes had widened when she heard Booth's deepened voice. Her mouth had fallen open when she noticed the color come over Bren. Then in a flash, it was over. _"What just happened?"_

Brennan turned to Angela and asked, "Ange, you want me to bring you back something?"

"Huh? Oh no, sweetie, thanks. I brought something from home, I'll eat later," Angela said.

Booth had not taken his eyes off Bones, so he caught the nervous glance she flicked at him while moving towards her office. The smile he had kept plastered on his face became genuine, as he realized she _had_ been affected. Chuckling slightly, he followed Bones and walked in as she reached for her jacket. He quickly took it from the hangar before she could and held it open.

Brennan gave him a small smile before turning and slipping her arms inside. Booth crowded her heat as he raised the material slowly up her arms. His hands paused at her shoulders and then retraced the path back down again. This time his attack was slow and sensuous and Brennan was unable to hide the tremor that raced through her body.

Booth kept his voice soft as he asked, "Feeling cold, Bones?"

"I think I may have stood over the remains for too long. Lack of movement over a prolonged period can result in improper blood flow. When a body starts moving again the heat of the renewed circulation can make the air around seem cold in comparison causing involuntary spasms or shivers." Brennan spoke faster while creating her excuse.

Gathering her purse, she turned to him. "Ready to go?" Brennan didn't wait for a response. She left the office and Booth behind, while she quickly walked out of the building and towards the car.

Booth could not wipe the smile off his face. He trailed after Bones at a leisurely pace, content to allow her some space to collect herself. After all, half of the fun was to catch her off guard and watch as her reactions revealed her real feelings. He now knew that she did feel their chemistry and was affected by him physically. While his ego was bolstered by the new found knowledge, he still wondered if, _emotionally,_ she felt anything more.

By the time they arrived at the diner, Brennan felt in control once again. Booth had not made any more overtly flirtatious advances; instead he made sure they resumed their normal bickering about everything and nothing. He was comfortable in knowing where he had gained an advantage and was wise enough not to push it… for now.


	7. THE SECOND SESSION: Relieving Guilt

**CHAPTER 6: "THE SECOND SESSION: Relieving guilt"**

**Thursday, 7:00pm**

"It's nice to see you both again," greeted Dr. Jacobs. "The F.B.I. has given me a strict timeline for completing my findings, so we're going to have to jump right in this time. With our first session I wanted to get a sense of you both as individuals. Therefore, I allowed the conversation to be reactionary, flowing from one point to another and focusing on your language, basic ideas of one another and your sense of teamwork. It's that last element that we're going to be expanding on this evening."

Dr. Jacobs pointed to a stack of notebooks on the corner of his desk. "Over the years I have been able to fill several journals with notes from law enforcement officials, both local and federal, who have requested reassignment to a new partner. The common denominator behind the requests was a lack of communication that had, at one point, led to a life-threatening situation out in the field. With that in mind, I researched the notes on cases that, according to Deputy Director Cullen, had placed one or both of you in that same predicament and I learned that you both have almost lost your lives while working on the Cugini, Lappin, Gravedigger and McKenna cases."

The partners glanced at each other and shared mutual grimaces. The bad memories overtook their minds for a full minute before they were able to breathe normally.

Dr. Jacobs almost felt guilty to begin what he knew would be an upsetting series of questions. He easily noticed the range of disturbing emotions that crossed their faces. "I understand that tonight's session may be stressful, but please remember the more honest you both are, the more helpful you can be to other agents."

"All right Doc, let's get started," replied Booth.

Dr. Jacobs shuffled some folders until he found the one he was looking for. "Dr. Brennan, would you please review the details of the Cugini case. I believe that was the one with Agent Kenton. If you would, please focus specifically on how Kenton kidnapped you and any feelings you had towards Agent Booth during that ordeal."

After several moments of silence, Dr. Jacobs gently reminded them of the goal. "Please keep in mind, this information, while distressing, may become very helpful. The improved communication skills we may be able to learn from your ordeals could very well save lives. So please, let's just try and get through this."

Brennan understood the logic, so even though she was more than reluctant to relive that event, she did. "First a hitman tried to shoot me; of course at the time we didn't know the hitman was Kenton. There was a concern that the hitman might try again, so Booth came with me to my apartment to protect me. He went to get something to drink from the refrigerator, but a bomb had been planted… and that's how Booth was blown up."

Brennan's monotone recounting hitched slightly at the end and the fear that memory dredged up was etched in the eyes that Booth stared into. He reached over and squeezed her arm, lending her strength. She smiled at him gratefully and pulled in a calming breath before continuing, never breaking their eye contact.

"While Booth was in the hospital, he asked me to stay with Kenton. Booth figured out soon after we left, that Kenton was the murderer and that's when Booth left the hospital, came after us and saved my life. He saved me while sustaining broken ribs, a green stick fracture of the clavicle, burns and lacerations. My feelings towards him then are the same as now… albeit stronger; I trust him with my life."

"Agent Booth, would you please share your memory of those same events?" asked Dr. Jacobs.

Booth spoke as if Bones had asked the question. "I've recently realized, I won't always be able to protect you. I know you can handle yourself, but some situations are still beyond anyone's capabilities and you know that too. What hurts, is that you would never have been in that position if I had been smarter. I should have been able to piece the puzzle together faster. Instead I was almost responsible for getting my friend and partner killed."

"Agent Booth…"

"Booth…"

Dr. Jacobs and Brennan began at once but with the sharp glance from Brennan, he backed off, slightly intimidated and intrigued by what she would say to the distraught Agent.

"Booth it's because of you I'm alive." He started to shake his head. "Look at me!" Her command snapped his eyes to her face. This time she was the one to reach out as she placed her hand on his arm. "Booth, he was your friend. There was no reason to think he could have been a killer. Out of all of the clues and misdirection, you were the only person to figure out Kenton was responsible. I'm _alive_ because of you and not just that one time either. You are an amazing partner and a wonderful friend. You can not attack yourself about this?"

Her accusing tone and comforting words finally pulled the smile from him she wanted. "It's 'beat yourself up' and thanks Bones." He covered her hand with his and squeezed gently. He started to gently rub his thumb over her skin and watched her eyes begin to darken. The partners continued to stare into each other's eyes until Dr. Jacobs cleared his throat. At the intrusion, both pulled apart and faced the doctor.

"So, Dr. Brennan, may I safely assume you and Agent Booth had a healthy exchange of communication during that case?"

"Booth and I always posit different scenarios, using the facts we've already gathered. Once we figure out the one that matches all of our evidence we normally have a solid direction that will ultimately lead to the suspect. We review the slightest detail, from soil samples to gut reactions. That case was no different, even when he was in the hospital."

"How often do the two of you call each other daily?"

Brennan and Booth glanced at each other. "Three or four times?" queried Brennan.

"Yeah, I guess. Maybe more," confirmed Booth.

"And are these calls during normal business hours, or do they extend afterwards as well?"

Brennan eagerly responded, "The concept of normal no longer exists, Dr. Jacobs. For example, normal regarding families used to include both a mother and a father, but now, a single mom heads one in every nine families. Regarding religion and politics, normal has started wars that have lasted for decades. In medicine, doctors tend to use the word normal as an ideal or what ought to be, which in no way confirms whether most of the population even meets that abstract."

"Bones, just switch normal for usual, ok?" interrupted Booth.

Pouting slightly, Brennan continued, "When new information is learned, we need to share it immediately, and if that means a call at 11pm or 6am, then that's when we'll call."

"You know, Bones, you're kinda cute when you pout like that."

He smiled as her face flushed.


	8. THE SECOND SESSION: Beginner's Luck

**CHAPTER 7: "THE SECOND SESSION: Beginner's luck"**

**Thursday, 7:30pm**

"Agent Booth, it was during the McKenna case that you were kidnapped by a local crime boss named Gallagher. Please describe your thoughts and feelings regarding your partner while you were being held."

Booth's mouth turned upward and his grin grew wider the redder Brennan's face became.

Dr. Jacobs looked back and forth between them, knowing he was left out of a joke, "Agent Booth?"

"Yeah, sorry Doc. I feel very lucky to have Dr. Brennan as my partner. She showed great resourcefulness in figuring out who had me and where. She also came after me… ummm… by herself… without waiting for backup. She chased Gallagher right into the waiting arms of the cavalry."

"You seem to be proud of Dr. Brennan?" asked Dr. Jacobs.

"Very. She punched out a bounty hunter, investigated a few different avenues to pull all the information she needed to find me and save my life, and there wasn't one single bone in sight that whole time." Booth winked at Bones, but the tension in her body told him she wasn't feeling receptive to his playfulness.

"And what were your thoughts while you were held. Please be as detailed as possible," prompted Dr. Jacobs.

"Bones is stubborn; I mean her face is right there in Webster's. I knew she'd never give up. I knew she'd find me. My job was just to stay alive until she did. Just hang in there, you know?

"Thank you, Agent Booth. Dr. Brennan, this time around you're the quiet one. Please share the memories you're having right now?"

"I had no idea where to start looking. Cullen wouldn't tell me anything and there weren't any leads. He was gone. The tracking and sleuthing and getting information out of a bunch of strangers, that's his job. Granted we're a team, but that half is his. My half includes bones, science and technology. Booth has his end and I have mine and he wasn't there and I didn't have the time to learn his job. It was a positive string of circumstances that led me around until we found him." Brennan's voice struggled to remain level, but she shook slightly trying to maintain that control.

"Bones, you found me. You did do my job. Luck or not, you figured a way to work around what isn't your normal strength. You used that amazing head of yours and you figured it out. And while you may have gotten… help… with the initial clues, you figured out how to piece it all together and find the hangar."

"Booth, what if it happens again? That was beginner's luck, if anything, and its very definition is it happens just once," she whispered desperately.

Booth's heart constricted. He could not promise she would never be alone and admitting he would never willing leave would not bring the reassurance she craved. "Ok, let's make a deal: I'll teach you more of my job if you teach me more of yours. But try and keep the syllables, per word, to a maximum of three and all in English." Booth bent his head trying to meet her eyes. "Deal?" He flashed his charm smile, hoping for its return.

"Booth…," began an annoyed Brennan, before Booth interrupted.

"Bones… deal?"

Sighing, she let him comfort her with his crazy scheme. "Deal, but I get an occasional Latin word." The smallest of smirks curved her lips.

For the second time that night, Dr. Jacobs felt invisible. The partners were lost in their own world of pain and comfort, giving and receiving of each other's strength in an attempt to get through the emotional storm. He was beginning to wonder whether their obviously unique connection was something he would never be able to define on paper. Perhaps the success they had solving cases was an equal balance of skill and their luck in finding someone with whom to share this unique connection. Watching them get lost in each other, he would later swear he could almost hear the conversation, but it was as if from a long distance, where he could not understand the words.

"Excuse me, sorry to interrupt, remember me?" joked Dr. Jacobs, waving his hand. A faint pink appeared on both partner's faces as they returned their attention to the psychiatrist.

"It would seem that you both have complete trust in the other regarding communication, loyalty, support and the safety of each other's lives. That type of connection and level of commitment are to be commended. Unfortunately, as you each related your emotional state while your partner was being threatened, it revealed how you are unable to apply that trust inwards. You both seem to doubt your decisions and skill sets as soon as you're separated. That shows an almost unhealthy dependence."

"Hey Doc, wait a second, we are not dependent. We've gone days between cases and once we went weeks without talking to each other. Like Bones said, we each have our own jobs on the team. I don't need her to be able to properly interrogate a suspect or read a crime scene and she most definitely does not need me to tell a pile of bones used to play tennis or what weapon caused what shaped-wound in the skull."

"Played tennis?" queried Dr. Jacobs.

Booth waved off the query and continued, "My _point… _is that just because we experienced fear when the other was in danger does not make us unable to function on our own. We still did our jobs, as evidenced by the fact we're both still alive. Show me from that stack of folders where it's uncommon to care about your partner and _not_ want them dead."

"Agent Booth, the reactions you just mentioned are normal and to be expected in a healthy pairing. It's the reactions you're both displaying now, months later, which are of concern. Even after all that time you both demonstrated strong negative emotions from these memories. Now granted those recollections are extremely upsetting and I have no doubt the images in your minds are graphic at best. But they should no longer have such a choking hold. The intensity of the memory is supposed to fade over the course of time, but they can't because the fear is still in the present." Dr. Jacobs closed his notebook and folded his hands on top of his desk. "I'm afraid this could have a serious and crippling effect on your partnership, possibly resulting in paralysis in the field, the hesitation leaving one or both of you injured."

The partners glanced at each other and Booth spoke up first, "So what's going to happen now?"

"Well, I'm afraid I would be remiss in my responsibilities if I were to allow the effects to manifest. If we are unable to find the underlying root of this fear, and remove it, I will have to recommend we dissolve this partnership."


	9. HONESTY

**CHAPTER 8: "HONESTY"**

**Thursday, 8:10pm**

Brennan and Booth were speechless and numb. She stared out the window, but was unable to focus on a single item that flashed in front of her eyes. Her mind could not identify where they were or figure out where they were heading. He was driving her back to her apartment, but could not recall walking to the car. He was surprised that he had started the engine and pulled away from Dr. Jacobs' office, because he could not recall anything after the last 30 seconds of their session.

The only thought they were able to hold on to was Dr. Jacobs. How could they have gone from being honored to threatened with separation? What happened that brought them to this point, when it was acknowledged that their team dynamic was undisputedly successful? These questions remained unanswered as Booth pulled into Brennan's apartment complex. He shut off the engine but neither made a move.

Brennan was the first to speak, "We have to fix this. We can't let him reassign you."

He did not respond, so she tried a different approach to break through to him. "I have too much work to do right now authenticating that new Iranian salt mummy; I can't possibly train another Agent."

That worked! Booth finally turned to her with an eyebrow raised. "_You_ trained _me?_ Nice, Bones!" He chuckled, taken off-guard by her playful side. He loved how she used his own techniques to draw him out of his darker moods. "All right Chuckles, c'mon, let's go up and try and figure this out."

"Chuckles?"

"Chuckles is a clown, Bones."

Brennan led him through her front door and walked straight towards the kitchen to grab them a couple beers. As soon as the refrigerator was in sight she stopped dead. Mentally shaking the disturbing images back to the dark recesses where they would not disrupt her self-control, she opened the door and grabbed the bottles. Booth had already made himself comfortable on the couch when Brennan joined him and handed him his bottle.

"Thanks," began Booth. "So I've been thinking we have to talk about our fears. You and me; we'll talk about 'em and get rid of 'em, then the Doc won't have a case."

"That sounds logical," admitted Brennan. "In the session, you said that you had recently realized you won't always be there to protect me. What happened that made you realize that?"

Booth wondered how to answer without revealing his newfound realizations for his beautiful partner. "It came to me after we discussed the whole "brother" thing. I was thinking of families and how… you're a part of mine. As part of my family I'd do anything to protect you, but I might not be successful, and you could get hurt." He saw Brennan start to say something and he quickly interjected, "Yes, I know you can handle yourself, that's not the point. I _need_ to protect you, Bones, whether you think I'm a chauvinistic Neanderthal or whatever description you want to use on me. I _need_ to know you're safe and that you're still in my life." He stopped when he saw her eyes widen slightly and tried to lighten the mood. "Just chalk it up to my one and only character flaw." He flashed a charm smile that she answered with her own.

"Well, since we're being honest, I'd do whatever was necessary to protect you too. And in the interest of full disclosure, I both _need_… and want you around."

Booth's heart started to beat faster. She had not been able to look him in the eyes while she spoke, but she was able to say the words, and that was a big step.

"Well I'd say that was Step #1 in the healing process," quipped Booth. "Maybe we should push this a little farther, since we're both feeling so open."

Brennan looked at him curiously and she turned her body fully towards him, raising one bent leg onto the couch. Booth mirrored her movements, the change in position resulted in touching knees. The arms they each rested on the back of the couch, brought their hands so close they could each feel the other's body heat.

"So how hard do you want to push?" asked Brennan.

Booth shifted slightly, reigning in his self-control and ignoring the images of pushing her all over the couch, the floor and her bed. "I wanted you to know that Dr. Jacobs had a point. He wasn't right, but he did have a point. When you were buried, I lost it. I wasn't able to stay calm and it was a struggle to think, you know try and figure out a way to find you. I am not dependent on you being around, I know my life would go on if I had lost you, but I'd miss you… _so_ much. It would have felt like I died too."

The last part was said so softly, Brennan might have missed it except that her entire focus was on him. Suddenly, it all felt overwhelming and she started to rise. Booth put a detaining hand on her arm and the other on the leg that rested on the floor. "Bones don't run." When she still resisted him, he repeated his plea, "Bones, stay. Talk to me."

Brennan sank back into the couch and closed her eyes against the look in his. With her eyes still shut, she told him, "I haven't ever been able to trust anyone as much as I trust you. You also know me better than anyone else." She sighed in frustration, "I do want to run right now, would love to actually, because this conversation is making me uncomfortable. But I can't, because you asked me not to and I find that fact to be extremely frustrating." She finally opened her eyes and found him staring back with an emotion she could only describe as tenderness. "I hate that I couldn't find you on my own. I hated that I had to have my father help me, because it proved that I was not capable. He had to do what you do and "read" everyone we questioned, determining how forceful to be to get the information. What if my father hadn't been around? He's the one who figured out Gallagher had you. I was still stuck on finding Icepick. Maybe Hodgins or Ange would have thought of him, but after how long? You could have been dead by then. We barely got to you in time as it was. I just…" she trailed off here, uncertain how to continue.

"Hey, you're better at reading people than you give yourself credit for and you're great with putting puzzles together." He moved his hand down her arm and into her own hand, alternately squeezing and massaging her fingers.

"I'm still not as good as you."

"Well, c'mon, _that_ level of skill and expertise takes years to develop. Not to mention the natural-born raw talent." He stopped to appreciate the smile and husky chuckle he caused. The hand he still had on her knee started to move and caress in small circles as he continued speaking, "And besides, you can always read me."

"Well, I don't know about always."

"I do." Booth's voice dropped to a deep timbre, "Take right now. What am I thinking?"


	10. THE KISS

**CHAPTER 9: "THE KISS"**

**Thursday, 9:00pm**

Brennan was distracted from Booth's question by his hands, both of which were still initiating twin trails of incredible heat. Her eyes followed first the hand intertwined and caressing her own, over to the other that was massaging her leg, before finally raising her gaze to her partner. She stared, confused by the emotion captured on his face. Then finally, like the proverbial light bulb, the truth dawned on her.

Booth saw the very second realization struck and he waited with baited breath for her response.

"Booth, do you want me physically?" Seeing his frown, she quickly amended, "I mean romantically?"

"Something like that," hedged Booth, not willing to scare her away. "And how do you feel about me?"

"What about the line? Being unprofessional? Added risk? Just friends and partners?"

"I like that you put friends first, that's already answering my question," said Booth smiling, before turning serious. "That line was made before we really understood our connection and how strong it would become. At the time I needed to put up a wall against my physical attraction to you. I believed if we had sex, I would develop an emotional attachment that could be used against us. I guess I didn't take into account I was going to develop that attachment anyway." At this Booth's smile returned, "After all you were really annoying."

Brennan gasped in mock indignation, "Huh! I was annoying? Well you were arrogant and overbearing."

"You are so competitive, you know that? I say one negative thing and you come back with two."

Brennan shrugged and smiled, "It's my nature."

Booth shook his head amused by her response, but still thinking of the one he needed to hear. "So how do you feel about me?"

She opened her mouth to answer, but no sound came out so she closed it again. She had started to answer in some vague, sidestepping, manner but at the eager look on his face she stopped. He deserved full disclosure, so she began to think seriously about her feelings. She hung her head lost in memories of their rescues, talks, dinners, hugs, looks, bickering, and comfort. Here in front of her was the only man she had ever allowed to protect, guide, advise, hold, casually touch, boss her around, and see her cry.

"What if it doesn't work, Booth? It's not realistic to think we could go back to being what we are now without any awkward adjustments." She gestured her free hand between them.

Booth's heart leapt at the implication that she was considering the possibilities of a romantic relationship.

Before he could reassure her, she started talking again. "I'm not good with relationships. You're a romantic, Booth. I'm not and I know you're going to want more from me. I won't know or understand what that _more_ is and you'll end up frustrated and we'll end up breaking up, realizing everything was a mistake." She had pulled her hand from his and was gesturing with more energy, clearly displaying her agitation.

"Whoa, whoa, Bones, slow down a second, you're going to have us dead and buried before long." Booth grabbed both of her hands in his, holding them in her lap, before he continued, "You and I, both, weren't very good at being partners in the beginning. We were great at watching each other's back and solving the crimes, but not at being partners and working through interrogations or talking out the facts. But we worked on it together. I compromised by recognizing the depth of your devotion to justice and really letting you _be_ my partner. You compromised by sharing who you are and believing in me, when you couldn't explain everything with science. We _talked_ to each other Bones, that's how our partnership developed into a friendship and continued 'til we got here. So _if_ it's true that we won't be immediately fantastic together in a romantic relationship, we'll talk to each other until we figure out what works for both of us."

She calmed as his logic invaded her mind and eliminated the doubts. He saw the tension ease away and moved closer. "We can do this Bones. Trust me."

"I do trust you," she said as she squeezed his hands. "I just hope you don't regret this one day."

"You said it yourself, I know you better than anyone and it's true. I know exactly how you are in most situations and at almost any time of the day." He lowered his voice to that sexy timbre that felt like a caress on bare skin. "Except when you first wake up. I know what I'm getting into and honestly I can't wait to start."

"Ok. So how do we start?"

Booth's smile was dazzling as he leaned in for their first real kiss. He hovered a mere breath away, teasing her for a few maddening seconds, before he closed the gap and sealed their lips. Warmth shot through their systems. Brennan's hands moved of their own volition, out of his grasp, reaching around his neck to bring him closer. Booth's now free hands rested on her thighs, slowly moving up her legs until settling on her hips. The kiss deepened, as they tasted each other, sucking and nibbling.

Brennan pulled away first, needing a second to adjust to the chemicals racing through her veins. It took her mind a breath's time to realize how natural their kiss felt and not just because he had great technique; it was because he was Booth. Not one to hesitate once a conclusion was reached; Brennan rose and straddled his legs, reengaging his lips.

Booth gasped at the change in position and Brennan slipped her tongue inside, eager to taste every inch of that incredible mouth. Booth felt like he was about to explode from the overload of sensations. He dug his fingers into her hips trying desperately to keep a shred of self-control. His body screamed to bury itself to the hilt in her right this second and his mind was quickly losing the will to resist that temptation. He pulled away desperate to calm himself. "Bones!" was all he could gasp as he drew in a ragged breath.

"Shhh, it's okay," her sexy voice did little to help his situation. "I know nothing more is going to happen tonight. Like I said, you're a romantic and you'll want to make sure everything is special. All that is fine, we can do this your way. I just want to kiss you a little longer." Not waiting for him to reply she tasted him again, loving the way every inch of her skin reacted to the kiss. He had not dared to move his hands from her hips and her mind wondered what it would feel like when those wonderful phalanges were released to join in their play.

After a few more minutes of this delicious torture, Booth pulled away again. "_God_ Bones, you're killing me."

It was hard to stop, but Brennan respected Booth too much to seduce him. She reluctantly moved off his lap and sat back next to him. The only sound in the room was their uneven breathing.

Booth finally spoke, "I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I have to leave… like _now_. I wasn't expecting you to kiss me back like _that_."

"Well you did say I was competitive."


	11. HOW TO DATE YOUR COWORKER

**CHAPTER 10: "HOW TO DATE YOUR COWORKER"**

**Friday, 9:30pm**

It had been almost a full 24 hours since Booth left her apartment still laughing over her last comment. He had kissed her good night at the door and promised to see her today.

He called around 10am to let her know Cullen had requested several reports to be completed by the end of the day so he would not be able to swing by the Jeffersonian at all. The obvious disappointment in his voice made her smile and tampered her own dismay. It amazed her how simple it was to transition to their new status. They were the same, except now she had the added perk of that delicious mouth. She still could not wait to get her hands on his body, or his hands on hers, but the weekend was coming and she knew they both would be too.

Later that day, Brennan was at home reading a new book she had bought, when there was a knock on her apartment door. She let her finger hold her place as she walked with it to the door and looked through the peephole. She opened to a smiling Booth.

"Hey Beautiful!" said Booth as he leaned in for a warm, lingering kiss.

"So we've already advanced to pet names?" answered Brennan, while reaching for a welcoming kiss of her own.

"What do you think 'Bones' is?" joked Booth as he stole yet another smooch, this time deepening the experience and drawing her bottom lip gently into his mouth. Still sipping from her sweetness he moved her gently back into the apartment and kicked the door shut with his foot.

Finally their lips parted and both pulled back with a smile. "I missed you. How was your day?" asked a slightly breathless Booth.

"Boring! I didn't have one single, sexy F.B.I. Agent come and kidnap me off somewhere," she teased with a glint in her eyes.

"Really? Well you know even if I showed up I still wouldn't have fit the bill?" he waited for that adorable look of confusion to cloud her face before he cleared it up. "I'm no longer single." He kissed her nose. "And neither are you."

The warmth of his arms was not enough of a distraction to quell the argument that came naturally to her mind, "Booth, I don't agree with the use of labels for adults. Introducing one another or thinking of each other as boyfriend/girlfriend is inaccurate; we're not teenagers."

"Take me to the couch and I'll challenge that statement." Booth wagged his eyebrows at her accompanied by a leer, but when he saw the tolerant smile she returned, he sobered, "Ok, _Sweetheart,_ what shall we call ourselves?"

She could not help but laugh at his continued playfulness. She stepped out of his embrace and tugged on his arm so he would follow her to the sofa. "Honestly, I don't need any terms to define us. I just need to know that we're still _us_. Well, with a couple enhancements," she teased.

"Is there anything else we should discuss with relationships and us?" Booth asked gently, running his fingers through her soft hair.

"Well, I was just reading about co-workers and…"

"Wait, what?" Booth interrupted as he quickly took the book from her. Upon reading the title, he barked sharply in amusement. "_How to Date Your Co-Worker_?"

"Don't laugh; the points the author makes are quite logical." Brennan grabbed the book back and flipped to one of her Post-It notes that referenced some ideas she wanted to discuss with him. "For instance, have we thoroughly reviewed the F.B.I.'s policy on non-work relationships? How do you think others may react to our being together? What about how juries might be affected by this information? It is quite possible that this could affect our reputations."

Booth frowned at her extensive list of concerns. "Bones, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to talk yourself out of this?"

"Booth I want this… with you, I do, but these are realistic concerns. OK?" At Booth's nod, she continued reading, "The author strongly advises us to have a break-up plan. What would we do if we broke-up? Could we continue to work together successfully? How will it affect the rest of the team?"

Booth rolled his eyes. While he was heartened by her use of the word "if" instead of "when", he did not want to talk about breaking up when he had not even had a chance to take her out on a real date. But he understood this was a conversation she needed to have in order to fully come to terms with their relationship. "You're right, we should talk about this."

Her eyes lit up at his agreement and he could not help but be grateful that he was the one who put that gleam in her gorgeous blues. "Okay Bones, first off, there is no specific policy for our partnership because you are not an F.B.I. Agent. So while it is frowned upon for two partnered agents to fraternize, that directive does not apply here. Since we're not breaking rules, no one at the Bureau should have a problem when they learn we're involved. As long as we are able to maintain our case record there shouldn't be any negative backlash. Good?"

Brennan nodded in understanding and Booth argued the next point on her list, "Let's discuss our reputations. We are, _without_ being involved romantically, the number one investigative team. But lawyers can, and probably will, try and spin it to make jurors believe we would taint evidence to support one another, instead of actual facts."

Brennan's voice held a spark of anger. "That couldn't happen. All of our evidence is supported by or created from proven scientific facts. We thoroughly document all found particulates, calculated timeframes, trajectories, force and impact. While there are ways to fake evidence, our protocols for recording our findings can easily be confirmed by any other forensics team. Any lawyer could cause doubt, but the facts will remain undisputed."

"So how can our dating negatively effect our reputations?"

"They can't." The partners smiled at each other, having satisfactorily resolved one obstacle.

"All right, Darling, next question: Would you want to work with me if we broke-up? I think the big questions are, would you still be able to respect and trust me?"

She studied him for a moment before decisively nodding her head, "Yes. I can't think of how you could lose my trust or my respect. And if you feel the same, and we're okay, then it should be fine for the team."

Booth smiled and gently traced his finger down her cheek. "Ok, what's your next question?"

Brennan blushed and started to flip through the book.

"Bones? What's your next question?" he asked suspiciously.

"I'm looking through my notes, give me a second."

He smiled, "What is it, Baby?"

"Are you going to test out each term of endearment?"

"Come on, spit it out, we both know you already have a question."

She sighed, "I don't know if I like you reading my mind."

"There are a lot of benefits to my knowing exactly what you need." He waggled his eyebrows, clueing her into his suggestive comment.

She glanced sidelong at him before forcing herself back to her questions. "I was just thinking about how it might work when one of us begins a new relationship? I mean, you aren't very nice to the men I date."

"I get jealous, Bones." He watched as a small smile graced her lips. "Is there something else?"

Her breath rushed out in a torrent. "I guess that was the emotion I felt too." At his confused look, she continued, "With Cam. I saw her take your hand in the office and I felt my stomach clenching. Even though I had no other symptoms; I had eaten a regular lunch and drank plenty of water; I still felt nauseous." She looked at him uncertainly, "Was that jealousy?"

"Yeah, sounds like it."

"I don't want to feel jealousy, but honestly I am unsure how I'd react if I had to watch you dating someone else. Logically, caring about you, I'd only want you to be happy. But jealousy is essentially fear... in this case the fear that our dynamic would change and we would no longer be such a large part of each other's lives."

"Shhh, Bones, it's okay. I get it." He quickly finished for her. "I don't know how I would deal with it either. But I _do_ know one thing, and that's that I want you in my life. You are my best friend and I'll take you anyway I can get you."

She smiled seductively at that, "Really, Booth? And in what way have you thought about taking me?"

His mouth went dry and he could feel his body temperature spike.

"This actually ties in with another point from the book: Public displays of affection." Brennan moved closer to him, running one hand through the strands at his nape, while the other dragged up the inside of his thigh.


End file.
